Greece: Athens suburbs evacuated as wildfires spread

Hundreds of firefighters were dispatched north of the capital as black smoke could be seen rising over Athens. A children’s hospital and military clinic were also evacuated.

Some 670 firefighters and more then 30 water-dropping aircraft were out at first light in Greece on Monday as a dozen suburbs of Athens were evacuated due to ongoing wildfires.

“Civil protection forces battled hard throughout the night, but despite superhuman efforts, the fire evolved rapidly,” fire department spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said.

Residents of Marathon and several other towns directly north of Athens were ordered to flee to safety, while a children’s hospital and a military clinic were also evacuated.

Marathon’s Mayor Stergios Tsirkas called disaster a “biblical catastrophe.”